The present invention relates to on the one hand a method of producing a profiled element, according to the precharacterizing clause of claim 1, and on the other hand such a profiled element, according to the precharacterizing clause of claim 7.
In many types of construction, use is made of profiled elements of different types in order to achieve the desired rigidity and strength. Within the automotive industry, for example, it is customary in many situations to construct, for example, suitable tubular profiled elements from bent sheet-metal components which are welded together. However, the manufacture of such profiled elements requires a number of different working operations and is therefore relatively complicated. Another disadvantage is that the spot welding usually used for joining the component parts together limits the possible strength at a certain material thickness, the joints not being continuous along the profiled element. Another disadvantage is relatively great material consumption and thus great weight.
For the purpose of obtaining simpler, lighter and better profiled elements, it is becoming increasingly common to employ hydroforming, which allows great design freedom. Even then, however, problems arise in producing sufficiently rigid profiled elements with as small a material thickness as possible.
The object of the invention is to achieve a simple method of producing a profiled element with good rigidity and with low material consumption. Another object is to produce a simple profiled element with good rigidity and low material consumption.
The object of the invention is achieved by on the one hand employing a method having the features indicated in Patent claim 1 and on the other hand producing a profiled element having the features indicated in Patent claim 7.
By virtue of the method and embodiment selected, it is possible to reinforce the profiled element locally by simple means without increasing the wall thickness thereof. In this way, good rigidity of the profiled element is obtained with low overall weight.
Further advantages and features in a solution according to the invention emerge from the description and the other patent claims.
The invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawing.